Monday, 30 May 2011

I just thought I'd post a couple of pix...if nothing else, it shows that I have progressed a little!

I'll start with my three assembled, cleaned and filled APCs, all ready for undercoat:

Click the Pic!

I just couldn't resist posting the next pic. I haven't really sculpted very much for quite a while now and thought it was about time I did. This is going to be a basic shape...a bit like a sculpting dolly. I am in the process of designing a race of creatures and this is the start:

Click the Pic!

He is 23mm tall (the same height as a Grymn) and is a bit of a departure for me because I have been using my clay shapers to smooth the joins and make them less stark. I have a long way to go yet...I have to finish his arms, head and legs yet...but I am quite pleased with the progress so far.

The Enforcers just need to have eagle heads on their shoulder pads and they are finished. I haven't started the Cyber mastiff yet...but I need a little inspiration for that.

Sunday, 29 May 2011

It is Sunday again and to say that I have had a flat week would be an understatement.

The down-side is that I have no pictures to show off.

The good-side is that I have managed to achieve a fair amount of 'boring stuff'. We all know what the boring stuff is...trimming stuff off sprues, sanding resin so that it fits, filling gaps in miniatures, under-coating, varnishing...you know...the stuff that has to be done but doesn't add any obvious value to the end product.

Well...this week I have:

1. Received 3 Sand Carriers from Scotia Grendel and have cleaned, sanded, assembled and gap filled. I still need to fill in the odd air bubble hole though.
2. Carried on with my miniature sculpt. Not too far to go...just arms and detailing...then I'll show it off.
3. Sculpted 15 shoulder-pads, 10 helmet badges and 2 shield handles for my Enforcers.
4. Continued building up the cockpit on my mini-flier...and converted the nose cannon.
5. Won an item on E-bay...more to come on that one.

...so it isn't as if I've done nothing...it's just that I've done nothing to show off.

On a completely different note, I learned all about being the perfect husband today. How?...you may ask. Well, I was in Model Zone and saw that the Star Wars, 1/72nd scale, Clone Trooper Gunship was on sale for £9-99...knocked down from £26-99. There were three on the rack. I have wanted to buy them since they were released and finally, I had every excuse...but I realised that my hobby spending has been fairly high recently...so I bought my wife a CD instead.

Sometimes, the hobby has to take a back seat.

My recent E-bay victory! A bit of back story...

...back in the 1980's, mecha model kits were the big thing. Revell brought out a range of Robotech robots that were in various scales...Talos, Gartan, Aqualo...yes...those were the days! Well, amongst all of the Robotech, Macross and Mospeada kits were a range called Megaro Zamac and these were particularly dear to my heart...

I am very glad to say that I have just won Jha-Giga to go with my Da-Web, Ma-Drum and Dha-Gards kits...only three (or if I wanted to go all out, five) kits to go to complete the collection. Here's the poster with the kits on:

Click the Pic!

The poster doesn't show a Phantom and Harrier in Gerwalk form...hence I am not too worried about finishing that side of the collection.

Good stuff, eh?!

Well...it is a Bank Holiday again so I have another day at home tomorrow. If all goes to plan, I will be able to finish filling the three Sand Carriers and continue with the rest of the sculpting. As an aside, I am sculpting in a slightly different way...I am using clay-shapers to try to smooth down the joins between details. I'll post more about this once my little sculpt is finished.

From now on, I will be having a nice glass of Port tonight...so I won't be hobbying any more this fine Spring evening...but tomorrow...well, hopefully some progress but I guess we'll see.

Thursday, 26 May 2011

Welcome to new follower Draxius! I hope you enjoy your stay and hope that you find something of interest on your travels around Inso's World.

A bit of information.

I have had quite a few questions about the Grymn miniatures I collect so much and I thought it would be a good idea to share some basic information on the miniatures.

1) Most of the Grymn range are single cast miniatures. That means no assembly apart from attaching them to the base.
2) They are all metal.
3) If you need to do head-swaps, you'll need clippers to remove the heads and the tools and green-stuff (or similar) to drill and pin the head to the body and to fill the gap.
4) Some of the Grymn range have separate arms/hands but they are generally from the Specialist section...if anyone needs specific information, I will put together a list and post it up (it will take a while though)
5) On average a Grymn trooper is around 22mm to 25mm tall.
6) The OGrymn (Geezer) is the same size as an Ogryn (from Games Workshop) at around 45mm tall.
7) They are well cast, require minimal clean up and are, of course, excellent :).

Did you know?...

...that the Grizzly power armour (from Starship Troopers) is still available? Look here:

On a completely different subject, I have been on night shift this week and have been quite fatigued by it (along with my chest infection kicking my system) so I haven't been too busy. I have been adding a few bits and bobs to my Enforcers and have been continuing to slowly sculpt my miniature but apart from that, I haven't accomplished much.

...Mind you...I have just received another three APCs from Scotia Grendel so they may end up getting some work very soon...

Sunday, 22 May 2011

Before I start, I'd like to welcome JWP to Inso's World. Unfortunately, not too much of an update today...but if you look through older posts, I hope you find something of interest :).

So...the world didn't suffer the Rapture yesterday. I wasn't confident that we would get a Rapture but you never know...it may have all been true!

So I guess this is 'welcome to the rest of your life'!

It has been a bit of an odd week this week. I have managed to prolong my head-cold so I have been coughing and spluttering a lot...which means that I didn't really achieve much. Mind you, that doesn't mean I achieved NOTHING...just not as much as I would have liked.

I have managed to finish painting the officer for my Kindred but haven't started basing any of them yet so I don't really want to show him off yet. I have ticked along slowly on the Judges and have started adding green-stuff here and there. I still have a way to go but at least I have started. I have partially assembled a small flier and am in the process of 'technically-adjusting' the cockpit. Finally, I have started to sculpt another miniature. I am not saying anything about it at this time but will be happy to show it off once it is finished as long as it turns out how I want.

In addition to the little bits and bobs I have been getting on with, I have also ordered another three of the Kryomek tanks for the Tunnel Fighters. That will be enough to transport all of the close combat units. I have some alternative turrets so I am likely to equip the standard APCs (when I order them) with mini-rocket turrets instead of guns...but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I really hate it when I get an idea but don't have the tools/equipment/logistics to do anything about it. I need to get some casting stuff sorted out soon. Not being able to cast stuff is getting on my nerves and it is only a matter of time before I feel morally obliged to get hold of casting rubber, resin and lots of Lego to act as the casting frames. Lego would also be good for building up regular shapes as a base for what I want to build...

Well...that is the end a pretty uneventful post. Hopefully, the next one will be a bit more interesting.

Monday, 16 May 2011

I just thought I'd post a short statement about Old Crow Productions. Today, I received a parcel from Jez that contained my order of 1 Glaive APC (tracked) and 4 Slingshot IFV (wheeled) and when I unpacked it, not only were they nicely cleaned and crisply cast but I also got a free vehicle into the bargain!

This is the third time I have ordered from Old Crow Productions and every time I have been really impressed with the quality of the casting, the fact that the pieces are already cleaned and that I keep getting little freebies...this time, a whole vehicle!

I whole heartedly recommend Old Crow Productions and send out my thanks to Jez for his excellent service.

Just to point out one thing. Quality comes at a price...and in Old Crow's case, the price is the fact that because each vehicle is cast to order, the time it takes to receive an order is a little longer than it would take to pack pre-made items and post them. From my point of view, the models are extremely reasonably priced and due to the quality, it is worth waiting a little bit longer to get the models. The website explains that there is a delay in sending out orders due to the demand for the models...a classic case of 'quality sells' if you ask me.

Sunday, 15 May 2011

There comes a time where I really need to say to myself 'FOCUS!!!'. Alas, it is advice I need to learn to follow because I have been distracted yet again. This time I was looking through posts in a forum and someone asked for advice about whether 1/72 tanks would work with Kindred (Halflings in WWI style uniform). I popped up a scale pic of my previous efforts and was reminded of how cool they were...as a result, I ended up with these:

Click the Pic!

They are still WIP at the moment but I have base-coated and washed them ready for high-lights. There are 12 there; three little fire-teams of four Kindred. Now that I have got this far with them I have suddenly come to the fearful conclusion that I am going to have a terrible time painting the eyes...but I guess I'll face that hurdle nearer the time.

Seeing as we are on the subject of distractions, I suppose I was already distracted from the main job at hand (Tunnel Fighters) by a new departure into Necromunda territory. I suppose it is only polite to show off my progress so far and without further ado, here are the two elements of my Enforcer gang:

Click the Pic!

The top group is the close combat element witha Ronin APC and a cyber-mastiff. The cyber mastiff is one of the dogs from the GW LotR range 'Farmer Maggot' pack. I have drilled out the shoulders and an eye and inserted some tiny ball-bearings. The rest of the squad have had a few head-swaps, some power-mauls made out of Grymn power axes and also have shields from the Hasslefree range (can't remember which part of the range).

The lower group is the heavier part of the group with an old Ground Zero Games anti-grav vehicle (you can now buy these from Daemonscape on E-Bay). Again there are a few head-swaps but apart from that nothing more.

What all that means is that I have finished all the cutting and pinning part of the conversions and now need to crack open the green-stuff and get sculpting. Unfortunately, I have had a head-cold this week and I have been quite happy ticking along with a bit of base-coating but sculpting has left me cold...hence the Kindred got some paint.

I haven't really got much more done this week. I did, however, knock up an Excel version of the Necromunda gang roster sheet so that I could use copy and paste to fill it in and I now have a lovely sheet filled with Enforcer information. At some point (once I have a gang to show off properly) I will scan it into the computer so I can stick it on photobucket and show it off here.

I think that is about it for now. I hope to make some progress this week but I can't promise anything as I am still feeling a bit rubbish.

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

Salute opened my eyes a bit. I was helping out at the Hasslefree Miniatures stand and was there to answer any questions and find those miniatures that the punters couldn't. It was whilst doing this that I discovered that quite a few people were buying Grymn to use as gangs in Necromunda.

...and that planted an idea that I haven't been able to shift...

...so I downloaded the rules and add ons FREE from Games Workshop...

Now I have a Grymn gang on the go. I am doing a bog standard gang that has all the selections and points values sorted out for me so that I don't get tied up making mistakes with my gang selection.

The idea is that Patrol Team One acts as the lighter part of the gang, patrolling the streets and travelling in the Ronin APC that I have started (Only fluff wise...the vehicle won't be used in game) and Patrol Team Two is the emergency response side of things; flying into the street in an anti-grav vehicle and deploying to support the other team when things get rough.

I need to sort out two more miniatures for the project but so far I have carried out preliminary conversion work on Patrol Team One and just need to crack out the green-stuff to finish things off. I have also assembled the anti-grav vehicle for Patrol Team Two and have begun to chop off heads and start the conversion work on that team. The Ronin is already started (as can be seen from yesterday's post).

I just need to source one more Heavy Infantry Grymn and one Specialist with LMG (which will be the Heavy Stubber Enforcer).

I will be painting them up similar to the ones I converted a while ago but the Patrols will be different in the helmet department...here's a pic of the old Judges that I knocked up:

Click the Pic!

The new Enforcers will be mounted on standard bases.

Hopefully, I'll have some converted mini pix to show off on the Sunday update.

Monday, 9 May 2011

I'd like to start this brief update with a welcome to the newest three visitors to Inso's World. Welcome comstar, David and brutpaul and I hope that you enjoy your stay. Please feel free to use any ideas that crop up on here (unless I specifically state otherwise...which I'm only likely to do when I start sculpting again) and let me know if you need additional pics/info on stuff I post here.

As a result of posting the Ronin APC on another forum, I was asked whether I could show a scale pic...so here it is with a Void Syntha Marine and a Grymn Tunnel Fighter:

Sunday, 8 May 2011

This week has seen the postman being very busy...with lots of deliveries to my house. I have found myself completely distracted from the task at hand and have been painting all sorts of stuff that I wouldn't normally paint. Ironically, the first picture I am showing off is from the cupboard and was probably stimulated by all the parcel goodness...so here is a small squad of Syntha Marines from the Void range:

Click the Pic!

While still on the void theme, I have been collecting a few Viper Wing bikes for quite a while and was asked to post a scale pic with a Grymn. As you will see, the bike is way too big for a Grymn:

Click the Pic!

I have been trawling E-bay and buying a few from Scotia Grendel and now have 13 bikes (including 2 Sgts) and 3 bikes with side-car. That is enough for 4 squads of 4, one will be led by a Sgt the rest will have a bike with side-car instead. The Dettol has been working over time on some of the E-Bay offerings!

Next up, I have a couple of items I am working on and both can be bought from Scotia Grendel. First is a Hellcat Fury from the Kryomek range and that is closely followed by a Ronin from the Void range:

Click the Pic!

I haven't decided what I am going to do with the Fury yet but the Ronin will be the transport for a squad of Judges...most probably Grymn...now who would have guessed that?

Finally, I have finished painting another Scotia vehicle. This one is a Nexus Sand Carrier from the Kryomek range:

Click the Pic!

I bought the Sand Carrier to see what it looked like when put next to the Grymn and decided that it would make a perfect APC for my Tunnel Fighters. It is small, compact and has a textured armour which sort of looks like rock...so I painted it up for my blue squad and as a result, I now have a fully complete mech unit consisting of ten troops, an APC to carry them and a mech to support them:

Click the BIG pic!

On top of that little lot, I have also base-coated one of the mechs and under-coated a second one. I could have probably got further on them if I hadn't been distracted.

I am quickly approaching the point where I have to varnish the Tunnel Fighters and get them stored away. I have a couple of Kaiser Rushforth cases and they will be perfect for the job...but I have a LOT of varnishing to do. Mind you, once all the troops are packed away, I'll have plenty of space in my cupboard again!

Necromunda is on my mind and with the arrival of the Ronin (riot control configuration), it seems that the decision of what gang to build has been taken for me...so it will be a Judge unit (Enforcers). I have built Judge Grymn before so all I need to do is find the rules and put together a few conversions. I have some of the dogs from the Lord of the Rings range from Games Workshop (Farmer Maggot) so I think I may be adding a few bionics to make a Cyber Mastiff...

...and finally, I managed to ignore something in a shop once...but not twice. It was just too good an offer to miss. The local charity shop had a few brand new boxes of Tau in the window for about half price. I am now the proud owner of a Broadside Battle-suit and a Piranha scout skimmer. I have a bunch of Tau stuff floating around but I am likely to convert the Piranha into a scout for my Urban Grymn and use it for that instead. I think it is reasonable :).

Sunday, 1 May 2011

Thanks to the Royal Wedding and a bank holiday, I have been able to spend a little time putting together a few model kits. As a result, I have now finished converting and assembling all of the mechs for the Tunnel Fighter army. Here are a couple of pics:

Click the Pic!

Click the Pic!

As you will see from the lower pic, I have allowed the army commander to join in with the photo-fun and he is standing in between the two lead mechs to give you an idea of how big they are.

All I have to do now is finish painting them all and the Grymn Tunnel Fighter army will be finished (for the time being...apart from varnish...).

...Quite a milestone :) .

As a result of Salute, I have been thinking a lot about Grymn in Necromunda. I have been over to Games Workshop's site and have discovered that the rules are free in PDF format so I downloaded them to see what was what. I am planning to put together a small gang and will be posting what I come up with over at my other blog HERE so watch out for it.

I am thinking that the Grymn could either be Van-Saars or Enforcers (Judge Grymn!)...but we'll see.

I can say one thing though...no Grymn will be painted for Necromunda until the mechs are finished...